NWIFC News - Swinomish Memories

In 1979, I was hired as a teacher for the LaConner School District and finally retired in 2008.  My journey was long and interesting.  When I arrived in LaConner, I was still a "wet behind the ears," redneck boy from Sedro Woolley.  Landy James and Mary Lou Cladoosby took me under their wing and began teaching me about the Swinomish people and how to behave.  With their help, my journey through Indian Country has been a happy one, and I have many fond memories of my Swinomish students and friends.

For many years, I subscribed to the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission News figuring it would be a good read for my students.  Salmon are an integral part of Native American life in the Pacific Northwest.  The natives really do care about the survival and enhancement of salmon runs, and they are doing everything they can to protect and preserve them.  After having read the Northwest Indian Fisheries News, I was amazed at how much was being done.  I was always impressed by Billy Frank's many editorials on Being Frank, he is a great orator on both the stage and on paper, his words are worth listening to and thinking about.

Those of you who care about our salmon runs should read the Northwest Indian Fisheries News, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  You can access it by clicking on the attached link.  The many articles and photos can be accessed by clicking on the various title boxes - enjoy!

Seattle Pro Musica - Music Review

Seattle Pro Musica is a choral ensemble conducted by Karen Thomas.  They are the kind of choir that you might expect to find performing for kings and queens in some famous European cathedral.  Even better, they are located in nearby Seattle, Washington.  Pro Musica puts on a series of community concerts and lucky me got to feel like a King when they performed their Water Music concert at our very own Maple Hall in LaConner.

Song and voice washed over me like great ocean waves, leaving my brain awash with adrenalin and endorphins, a powerful natural high.  As they sang You have ravished my heart from Song of Songs, Canticle 4:9-16, it seemed that as their voices rose, they ascended like giant waves, growing taller and taller, and then, as their voices ebbed, they grew smaller and smaller, returning to their normal stature.  I imagined that I was a boy again, and that I was learning to sail.  We skirted the rocky shores of Nova Scotia, Great Grandpa Neil Gorrie was in front of me saying, "Keep the wind in your sails, son."

Lux Lucis by Karen Thomas, is another amazing piece that literally translated means light.  With numerous references to radiance, the harmonies danced like sunlight on the waves, the angelic voices of a hundred waves washed me clean as a new born babe.  I took a few deep breaths and let the song fill my mind until there was nothing left but light and song.  It became the perfect Buddhist meditation, my cluttered mind at last calm and clear, I was living in the moment.

After sailing on the sea of a concert called Water Music, I know that when I die and go to heaven, I'll hear the angels sing and say, "Been there, done that!"  If you are a music lover, you'll want to hear Seattle's Pro Musica, just click on the YouTube link or go to the Pro Musica link to learn more about them and to see their performance schedule.

Reggie Miles - Music Review

Reggie Miles is a man with a story, he's a foot stomping, old fashioned, bottleneck blues player.  He will tell you how he built the old guitar that he plays and you will find him on the street corners, in the bars, in the concert halls, playing that old guitar and having a real good time.

Sometimes, you find something old fashioned, something really good, something like a family recipe for really good apple pie or brownies, and that would be Reggie's music.  To hear samples of his old fashioned, foot stomping blues, you can click on the link attached to this blog.  I guarantee it will be all soul food and a foot tappin' good time.

Hello, India Calling... - Political View

Most of us have experienced the new phenomenon of getting a phone call from the bank or other important businesses and having trouble understanding because the operator is a foreigner speaking English as a second language.  Even worse than the poor communication is the fact that more and more American jobs are going overseas.

Cousin Ron emailed me this morning, happy to report that requesting an American phone representative was my right by law!  What wonderful news, our politicians are finally taking steps to protect our jobs.  Then I checked the Internet to confirm this wonderful tidbit.  Oh no, "say it ain't so Joe!"  Apparently our politicians, in a rush to protect corporate America, have waffled again and refused to protect American jobs.  Evidently, a bill containing this language, was introduced, but not acted upon.  Again and again, the politicians have failed to represent the American worker and we are indeed a nation of the corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation and President Lincoln's patriotic words ring hollow.

In support of business, some of the companies operating overseas have a voluntary policy to redirect you to an American operator at your request.  So, by all means do so, it may save a few jobs.  American jobs will never again return home so long as our political representatives refuse to represent the people.  Corporate money is where it's at and where it will stay, unless we do something about it, unless we demand campaign and lobby reform that takes the corporate money out of politics.

Hello, India calling...

Piper Reva - Music Review

I haven't been to the Conway Muse in awhile and one of the things I'm missing is Piper Riva.  This amazing young lady is the consummate performer.  She doesn't just sing... she doesn't just play guitar... she doesn't just act, but does all three superbly!  She puts her heart and soul into her act and plays your heartstrings like a "magician pulling rabbits out of a hat."  She can melt an old man's heart, put a tear in your eye, or make the audience laugh 'till they are falling out of their chairs.

To check Piper's performance schedule, buy a CD, or simply to learn more about her, you can click on her link.  You can see a music video, on YouTube and if you ever get the chance to see her perform live, you won't want to miss it, and I think, unless you are totally blind and deaf, that you will be "blown away."

Imagine - Political View

Imagine that the Black Panthers held a rally and urged their followers to remove a particular politician from office. Imagine they did this on their website while wearing full military gear and waving an M-16. Imagine that this politician was later shot along with 18 other innocents, and 6 of them died, including a 9 yr. old girl.

Imagine that a group of Taliban supporters went on national television and released a map of the United States with cross hairs on the politicians they want removed. Imagine that they told their followers, do not “Retreat – Instead Reload!” Imagine that one of these politicians was later shot along with 18 other innocents, and 6 of them died, including a 9 yr. old girl.

Imagine that an Iranian clergyman went on national television claiming to be a “progressive hunter.” Imagine that he told his followers that the United States government was full of vampires and that his viewers should “drive a stake through the heart of the bloodsuckers.” Imagine that one of these politicians was later shot along with 18 other innocents, and 6 of them died, including a 9 yr. old girl.

Imagine that the above terrorists, who gave the implied orders, would be considered totally innocent and walk free upon the land. Imagine that the loss of 6 precious American lives will go largely unpunished. Imagine that the murder and mayhem will be allowed to continue.

Imagine a world where hate speech is not allowed. Imagine a world where equality reigns supreme and there are no double standards. Imagine a world where everyone participates in politics and demands that justice be done.

Hwy. 101 Road Trip - Travel

            The coasts of Oregon and California are spectacular in January.  The crowds are small, there’s lots of wildlife, and for us Washington “mossy backs” nice cool, almost spring like, temperatures.

         At the mouth of the Columbia river there were many ships and colorful boats.  Off the mouth of the Columbia is some of the  most dangerous water in the world, it is where the coast guard trains their rough water rescue crews.  You see many Coast Guard boats and large ships here.  Steelhead streams with eagles abound and you are likely to see some elk in the fields.

         As you enter California, you begin seeing giant monolithic rocks standing like castles along the shoreline, waves crashing and splashing up their sides.  On the rocky shoreline, you will also see sea lions resting on the beach like giant alien slugs.  Suddenly they will rear up and do battle, sometimes they simply roll over or flip a flipper in pure bliss.

         Then there is the redwood forest, trees of epic proportion, rising to the heavens above.  A place my great grandfather visited in the 1930’s, a place I last visited in 1961.  Great mossy monarchs ruling Northern California for centuries upon centuries.  It’s a miracle having withstood the march of progress, the roar of chainsaws, and that they still stand tall and proud.

         As you enter Southern California, watching wildlife is replaced with watching people, there are lots of people here.  Surfers having tailgate parties, who will float for hours waiting for that perfect wave.  Fishermen catching surf perch, colorful fish that sometimes remind me of a fish wearing pajamas. Seagulls posing for the camera with their great big mussels.

         Then there’s Venice Beach, a people watching paradise!  Crowds of people milling about like cows heading for the milking parlor.  Hawkers calling out, “The doctor is in, get your legal medical marijuana.”  A street musician pounding a piano and a guitar player on roller skates, it really is rock and roll.  Food, food, food, everywhere you look there are people and there is food.  Colorful stores with colorful people line the streets, and I buy t-shirts for my grand babies from a Korean man who tells me about his own very special grand babies.  We may be of different cultures and backgrounds, but all of us are human, all of us are brothers and sisters.

         Escaping the crowds, we visit a small organic farm, Love House Dahlias, near Ventura.  We are there to see a friend, Fred Owens, who was a member of our “open mike” group back home in La Conner, Washington.  Fred joined Worldwide Opportunities in Organic Farming (WOOF) and found a job at the dahlia farm working part time for room and board.  He is happy there and plans to stay.  You can read about Fred and his farm experience on his Frog Hospital blog by clicking the link on this page.